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Topic: kingshurst 1958/1970 (Read 9914 times)

I grew up on the Chester Road when it was approximately 50 houses stretching from Scotford’s Stores down to the white house owned by the Price family. We were surrounded by fields and most days my younger brother and I would play in the service road with 7 or 8 other children, or in Smith’s wood behind our houses.

When I was 10, Dares started building Kingshurst estate. My parents were not very happy, especially as it was supposed to be Green Belt land but for me and my friends, it was another place to play. We used to swing by our legs from the ‘Dare to build’ sign and when we became teenagers, the site office balcony was our nightly meeting place. Some of you may remember Brian Crook from Ash Crescent, Thelma Naylor who lived at 1 Meriden Drive, Janet Aston and Janet Leese. There was nothing on the estate for teenagers then so we started a record club, alternating between our houses to play rock 'n' roll records. This became the youth club when the church hall was built.

Janetbrown, you mentioned the name Dukelow. My brother went out with Rubina Dukelow one night and her boyfriend, Frank Norbury threatened to fight him. Not wise as my brother, Bob was a tough farmer. I think Rubina and Frank eventually married. Did you know my old mate John Dunn who lived almost opposite the Punchbowl?

Vamann, I knew Mavis Mann quite well. In fact, I tried to ‘get off’ with her in the Castle Cinema one night. I don’t think she was very impressed - a very discerning girl even at that age.

44 years ago, I married Susan Homer from Kingshurst Way and when we make the trip from Worcestershire, unfortunately sometimes to attend the funeral of one of our old friends, we often make a detour around Kingshurst and reminisce about the ‘old times’.

Hi Ian,

How old are the houses from the Toby Jug down to the white house on the Chester Rd ? I presume the White house was the last house of the row with Smiths wood school playing behind them ? i recall someone mentioning the architect who designed those houses lived in the end house ?

How old are the houses from the Toby Jug down to the white house on the Chester Rd ? I presume the White house was the last house of the row with Smiths wood school playing behind them ? i recall someone mentioning the architect who designed those houses lived in the end house ?

Hi Tony,

The houses from the shop, (which was Scotfords Groceries), to the white house were built in the 1930s. My parents rented, and later bought, number 547 where I was born in 1941. The Price family lived in the white house and my brother and I played with their children. Colin was the father and he told me that his father built the houses and gave him the last one which is the only detached one in the row. My wife and I used to visit Colin occasionally until he died approximately 10 years ago having lived all his married life in that house.

In 1953, we moved from 547 to 551 because the houses from Scotfords to 547 had a downstairs bathroom and outside toilet whereas, from 549 to the white house, they all had an upstairs bathroom and toilet. No doubt, the others have all been modified now.

I always tell my friends that growing up in that row of houses on the side of the busy Chester Road was like living in a straight line village where all the children played out together, we knew the names of all the residents and were surrounded by fields until Kingshurst, Chelmsley and Smith's Wood were built.

The houses from the Toby Jug up to the shop, (which I believe is now a motor factors), were built in the 1950s with Burton's Farm estate behind where my sister-in-law grew up and also where actress Lindsay Duncan lived as a teenager.